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How Florida’s Rainy Season Impacts Your Drains

How Florida’s Rainy Season Impacts Your Drains Florida might be best known for being the Sunshine State, but property owners in the area are well aware that a sudden rainstorm is more common than people might think. The rainy season in Florida runs from around late May through the middle of October. While the rain is great for our water supply, it can pose a few issues for plumbing care and maintenance. A steady stream

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Why Are My Drains Always Backing Up? Common Causes in Florida Homes

Common Causes of Drain Backups in Florida Homes Clogged drains happen without warning and back up your pipes. Even if you diligently try to keep hair or oil out of your drains, you cannot keep everything out. Unfortunately, you may not discover a clog until pipe damage emerges, cutting off your water access. Families with young children know that kids may flush toys down the toilet or wash random things down the bathtub drain. Parents

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Signs You Need Professional Drain Cleaning?

How Do I Know If I Need Professional Drain Cleaning Services? Do you need professional drain cleaning? Dirty, sluggish drains can cause major inconvenience to your daily routine. You might find yourself standing in ankle-deep water during a shower or noticing foul smells coming from the sink. Professional drain cleaning is a great way to avoid these problems. But how do you know when to schedule a cleaning? Fortunately, there are several signs you can

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How to Dispose of Cooking Oil

How to Dispose of Cooking Oil: Don’t Pour It Down the Drain You’ve just fried up some chicken in several inches of vegetable oil, or maybe you’ve sauteed some veggies in olive oil. What do you do with the cooking oil? You might assume that because cooking oil isn’t the type of fat that solidifies at room temperature, it’s fine to pour it down the drain. However, cooking oil will clog your drains the same

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How to Determine the Age of Your Water Heater

Have you been wondering, “How old is my water heater?” If so, you’re among many homeowners in Melbourne who are curious about the same issue. It’s essential to know the age of your water heater so you can plan ahead for maintenance or to replace the unit. Check the paperwork from when a plumber put in your water heater. But if the previous owner installed the unit or you can’t find the documents, you can

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Can clogged drains lead to mold growth in my home?

How Clogged Drains Can Lead to Mold Growth in Your Home Clogged drains can cause a variety of problems in your home. For instance, it may result in water not flowing through a sink, toilet or tub in a timely manner or at all. In some cases, sewage or other hazardous materials may flow backward into your home. However, perhaps the most likely scenario is that standing water inside of those drains will serve as

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What are the risks of ignoring a slow-draining sink or tub?

That Slow-Draining Sink Isn’t Just Annoying—It’s a Warning Sign If a sink, tub or shower in your house is draining more slowly than usual, your first instinct might be to ignore it. It might not seem very important as long as the drain isn’t entirely stopped up. You might even hope that the problem will take of itself. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to happen. In fact, drain problems tend to get worse instead of better

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How Do I Know If My Pipes Are Leaking Under My Floor?

How do I know if my pipes are leaking under my floor? Hidden plumbing leaks can be a significant concern. They increase your water bill, cause mold and mildew growth, and damage your home. If you notice your water bill has spiked without a change in usage, you might have a hidden leak. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in Melbourne, FL, we help homeowners identify leaks early. Concerned you may have a leak somewhere? Here’s what

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How Does a Plumber Check for a Slab Leak?

How does a plumber check for a slab leak? Slab leaks are sneaky water leaks that happen under your concrete foundation. They’re especially tricky because you often won’t notice them until they’ve caused severe damage. And if you’re in Melbourne, FL, you’ll want to pay extra attention since our hard water, corrosion issues, and shifting soil make our homes particularly vulnerable. Water quietly leaking under your floor is bad enough, but under your foundation? It

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Is Hydro Jetting Better Than Snaking?

Is hydro jetting better than snaking? Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite topic: clogged pipes! Okay, maybe not everyone’s (or anyone’s) favorite, but if you’re dealing with this headache, you’re probably wondering what the best way to fix it is. You have two main options: the traditional snake method or hydro jetting, the newer kid on the block. I’m here to break down why hydro jetting might be your better bet, even though snaking has been

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